There’s something intriguing about Dutch rose growers Meijer Roses

PIJNACKER, Netherlands: There’s something intriguing about Dutch rose growers Meijer Roses. They never give interviews and seem to be somewhat reclusive, hidden from view in greenhouses in their native Pijnacker. And yet their Avalanche roses make every celebrity party and royal wedding around the world shine.

Actually, Meijer Roses and royalty have something in common. It’s not easy to define but it has something to do with the fact that both maintain a certain mystery. Meijer Roses wins multiple gold medals and awards but little is known about the owners and their nurseries.

Meanwhile, the company is, without a doubt, among one of the country’s most consistent quality Avalanche rose producers. Meijer’s output remains unmatched in both variety and consistent quality.

Dedication and passion

The owner told FCI that what he and his team set out to create with their Avalanche is a rose that reflects dedication and passion. He added that ‘customer-driven’ means more than just talking to customers and giving them want they want. It means developing relationships with customers to determine their needs.

The folks at Meijer Roses stress it is completely useless to join the group of self-congratulatory people who overanalyse their great service and premium quality. Self-promotion can counteract the kind of credibility that comes from customer testimonials and stories, they said.

Strong brand name

FCI put things to the test and asked Royal FloraHolland rose auctioneer Erik Wassenaar about Meijer. “Meijer is a quintessential family business that subscribes to the adage: we are not getting bigger, we are getting better. They are not happy with anything less than a perfect, top quality rose. The folks at Meijer give their rose crop time to grow. Thanks to their consistent quality and service, their family name has become a strong brand name. The Meijers are quiet, unfussy people, open to any  request from customers on the sole condition that there be no compromise to quality. They are always keen on innovation and quality improvement.”

‘Clients go wild for them’

Luxury florist Neill Strain from London said, “Our Belgravia residents demand the highest quality products. For flowers, they want not only the finest and rarest blooms but also ultimate freshness. My relationship with the breeders and growers allows me access to these flowers and to guarantee freshness. The flowers I order are specially selected for me, picked and sent directly to the boutique so they arrive within 24 hours of picking. We collaborated with John Meijer for our Celebration of the Rose event during the Chelsea Flower Show in 2015. I visited the Meijer greenhouse before the event and was most impressed by the technology, growing process and John’s passion and dedication to creating the very finest Avalanche Roses in the world. John has an entrepreneurial nature as I do and I like to work with innovative people. We stock his super premium 90 cm roses year-round and they are exceptional.  Our clients go wild for them!”